I consider research as the process of going up different pathways to arrive at a verifiable finding. My research is organized around three interdisciplinary research programs. The first is centered on my dissertation analyzing the varying levels of governing state capacity and religious establishment embeddedness capacity to resist violent armed jihadism in West Africa.​
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​My first upcoming book project, “Resisting Violence: Religious Communities and States in West Africa,” provides a detailed examination of the complex linkages between the capacity of Sahelian states in West Africa and their predominantly religious communities to manage violent jihadism. This study highlights how these interconnected dynamics significantly influence counterterrorism processes, particularly through community radicalization at varying levels. Unlike conventional rebel wars of the past, this jihadist conflict in West Africa presents unique challenges to the democratic process and national and international security. Through a comprehensive analysis of both historical and contemporary issues, my research draws on over seven years of meticulous archival research and in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Gambia, and beyond, illuminating the intricate factors at play in this volatile region.
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This research was conducted in conflict hotspots where social order and governance have broken down, making these areas critical for study. Field research in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically between 2019 and 2021. These regions face heightened vulnerabilities to extremist threats, and their health systems and resources have become increasingly scarce.Despite these challenges, the fieldwork connected me with communities affected by conflict during the pandemic, fostering a sense of solidarity and empowerment. My work amplifies local voices and experiences through the findings, advocating for scholarly and policies that address specific needs while promoting peacebuilding interventions.
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I met with internally displaced communities (pictured from above) in the research field in 2020. Many of those I met have lost their properties and had family members killed by the jihadists.
African Governance Innovation Lab (AGIL) Principal Investigators
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Lamin Keita
Lamin Keita is a Democracy Postdoctoral Researcher at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, where he studies democratic decline through the African Governance Innovation Collaborative. He holds a PhD in comparative politics and international relations from Northwestern University, where his award-winning dissertation—supported by Fulbright-Hays and SSRC-IDRF fellowships—examined community violence and resistance across Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal. His research focuses on why some communities respond to insecurity with violence while others pursue nonviolent resistance, offering insights into state–society relations, counterinsurgency, and locally grounded approaches to managing conflict and democratic erosion. Before entering academia, Keita worked as a journalist in Africa, including in The Gambia, where he was forced into political asylum during Yahya Jammeh’s rule.
Jaimie Bleck
Jaimie Bleck is a Professor of Political Science at Lehigh University, specializing in African politics, with a focus on democratization, civil society, education, and political participation. She is the author of Education and Empowered Citizenship in Mali (2015) and co-author of Continuity in Change: Electoral Politics in Africa, 1990–2015 (2018, with Nicolas van de Walle). Her research is widely published in leading journals and supported by major institutions, including the NSF and USAID. She has also served as a Fulbright Teaching and Research Fellow in Côte d’Ivoire and is currently working on a book examining informal civic life in Mali, focusing on tea-drinking clubs as spaces of democratic engagement.
Bernard Forjwuor
Bernard Forjwuor is an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and a faculty fellow with the Kellogg Institute, the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights, and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. A political theorist, his work focuses on Black political thought, critical theory, race, colonialism, and decolonial theory. He is the author of Critique of Political Decolonization (Oxford University Press, 2023) and is developing a second book, Reimagining Democracy, which examines how colonial legacies shape and contribute to democratic decline in Africa, particularly in Ghana and the broader West African region.
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Erin Metz McDonnell
Erin Metz McDonnell is the Kellogg Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, with appointments in the Keough School of Global Affairs and Africana Studies. Her research examines how organizational structures and culture shape state capacity, governance, and development outcomes, particularly in weak institutional contexts. She is the author of the award-winning Patchwork Leviathan (2020), which explains how effective bureaucratic “pockets” emerge in developing states. Her widely published and NSF-supported work also explores public sector performance and has informed policy through consulting with the World Bank and governments in Africa and Latin America.
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Race Bates
Race Bates is a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame studying Global Affairs, with minors in Foundations of Business and Portuguese & Brazilian Studies. He serves as a research assistant with the lab through the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, where he supports projects through literature reviews, editing, and analytical research, while also conducting his own independent research on rare earth elements and international supply chains. Bates's academic interests focus on international economics, global supply chains, and policy. Outside the classroom, he plays for the Notre Dame Rugby team and is involved in several student organizations.
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Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Lo
Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Lo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics at the University Gaston Berger in Senegal. A former Fulbright scholar, his research straddles folklore, critical and cultural theory, as well as the intersection of language and power. His work explores how indigenous narratives and epistemologies engage with contemporary political and cultural discourses in Africa.
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Dr. Barwendé Médard Sané, SJ, Ed.D.
Dr. Barwendé Médard Sané, SJ, Ed.D., is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Earth Commons Institute for Environment and Sustainability at Georgetown University (USA). His research centers on integrating Afrocentric epistemologies into the pursuit of environmental justice. He is committed to developing strategic peacebuilding education modules grounded in African values, integral ecology, and Catholic social thought. His work examines how Afrocentric ecologists, drawing on non-Western traditions, advance human dignity, democracy, care for all living beings, and the common good within a sustainable environment. He critiques the limitations of modern science in addressing climate change and the environmental injustices endured by marginalized communities. Sané argues that true environmental justice requires epistemological justice—recognizing and valuing diverse forms of knowledge and tradition. The author of seven books and numerous articles, he is also co-founder of l’Institut de Recherches sur la Paix au Sahel. His most recent article, Roots of Resilience: Unraveling Yacouba Sawadogo’s Afrocentric Ecological Wisdom through Qualitative Inquiry, was published by Cambridge University Press.
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Dr. Mame Bounama Diagne
Dr. Mame Bounama Diagne is an assistant Professor at Gaston Berger University in Senegal, West Africa. His research focuses on female African diaspora novelists depiction of the politics of identity and negotiation strategies in the United States and Britain. Dr. Diagne also studies the political agitation of the past five years in his country and analyzes its impacts on good governance and accountability.
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Professor Manna Duah
Professor Manna Duah is an Assistant Professor of History at North Carolina Central University. Her research interests are global Africa, with a focus on democracy, state violence, foreign relations, and Black transnational mobilizations in the twentieth century. She also studies histories of development theory and capitalism in postwar Africa; race and U.S. foreign policy toward Africa; and the making of the post 1945 global order. Her research highlights state histories and the social and political histories of globalization.
Kennedy Mkutu Agade
Kennedy Mkutu Agade is Professor of International Relations and Security Studies at US International University-Africa, in Kenya. His research centres around pastoralist conflict, small arms, new resource conflicts, and the political economy of mega-development projects and renewable energy in marginal areas of the Horn of Africa. He is a consultant for the World Bank. He has been a member of several other international collaborations, including the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Collaborative Research Centre in Germany, and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
Satang Nabaneh
Satang Nabaneh is an assistant Professor of Human Rights and gender. Working at the nexus of law and politics, Nabaneh's expertise spans human rights, women's rights, democratization, constitution-making, and transitional justice. Her current significant project investigates Colonial Legacies and Gender Discrimination in Commonwealth Constitutions. Originally from The Gambia, she holds an LLD from the University of Pretoria and a PhD from the University of Washington.
Esther Emmanuella Spio
Esther Emmanuella Spio is a Budget Analyst at Ghana’s Ministry of Finance, where she focuses on external resource mobilization from UN Agencies in the country. She holds a Master’s in International Affairs (MA) from the Legon Center for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD). Esther’s research interests include effective public service delivery and regional integration with a focus on intra-African Trade. She has been recognized as a Fellow with the Emerging Public Leaders of Ghana (2018-2020), an Orange Knowledge Scholarship Awardee (2024), and a V20 Climate Prosperity Fellow with Boston University (2024-2025).
Jeffrey Page
Jeffrey Page’s research argues that call-and-response is not just a musical or aesthetic form within African and Black Atlantic traditions; it is a fundamental framework for governance itself. This call-and-response structure shapes how authority is established, examined, and legitimized, serving as a regulatory logic that exists alongside and even predates formal institutions of rule. Page is an acclaimed choreographer, director, and educator. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Directing from Columbia University. He is currently serving as a lecturer at Harvard University in the Theater, Dance, and Media department. He was the first African American to be appointed as the Marcus Institute Fellow for Opera Directing at The Juilliard School. His career highlights also include choreographing the Broadway production of 1776 at the American Repertory Theater, contributing to the Broadway musical Violet, and being part of the original Broadway cast of Fela! Other Work: He is the founder of Movin' & #39; Legacy, a non-profit organization based in Indianapolis dedicated to the study of dance ethnology from Africa and the African diaspora. Additionally, he served as the associate creative director for Mariah Carey's European tour.
Paul Friesen
Paul Friesen is a Research Associate at the Center for Global Democracy in the Brook School of Public Policy at Cornell University. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame and is a former Fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. His research and teaching interests include democracy in the global context as well as elections, political parties, and political behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Bright Gyamfi
Bright is an Assistant Professor of History at Rutgers with extensive research experience in West African and African Diaspora intellectual history, nationalism, Pan-Africanism, and economic development. His work examines how African intellectuals have shaped and transformed the study of Africa across transatlantic academic and political spaces, aligning closely with the African Governance Innovation Lab’s focus on governance, ideas, and institutional change. He has received major fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Social Science Research Council, and Fulbright-IIE, and has published widely in leading journals. His interdisciplinary training and scholarship bring valuable historical depth to AGIL’s mission of advancing innovative approaches to governance and policy in Africa.
Doris Chandi Ombara
Doris brings over 40 years of experience in natural resources management, water and sanitation, agriculture, and urban development, alongside strong expertise in governance, human rights, conflict management, and policy advisory. She has led major projects across institutions and forums and continues to focus on advancing policy development and good governance in her current leadership roles. Through the Inspired Leadership Initiative at the University of Notre Dame, she aims to strengthen her resilience and refine strategies for managing community initiatives and governance challenges. As Chairperson, Director, and board member, she is particularly committed to promoting the rights of marginalized groups, including women and youth
Salif Daniel Gnienho
Mr. Gnieho, based in Burkina Faso, is a human rights defender and assistant researcher with a versatile skill set spanning translation, conference interpretation, journalism support, and professional English instruction. His work with the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities (CISC) and Freedom House reflects a strong commitment to documenting human rights violations and addressing security and resilience challenges. He also served as a research assistant to Dr. Lamin Keita in 2022, supporting fieldwork on extremist violence in Burkina Faso, where they traversed major jihadist-affected hotspots across the country. Proficient in French, English, and local languages such as Dioula and Morée, he effectively bridges local communities and international actors in complex conflict environments. His engagement with the African Governance Innovation Lab underscores AGIL’s commitment to collaborating with frontline practitioners whose lived experiences enrich research and policy innovation.
Daouda Diallo
Dr. Diallo is a pharmacist and internationally recognized human rights defender from Burkina Faso, and the founder and Secretary General of the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities (CISC) since 2019. His work documents abuses and advocates for vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso. His abduction by the state of Burkina military junta in December 2023 and subsequent release in March 2024 highlight the escalating risks faced by civil society actors in contexts of political instability. Honored with the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2022, Dr. Diallo brings firsthand, field-based expertise on repression, community resilience, and accountability. His engagement aligns directly with the AGIL initiative’s mission to collaborate with real actors on the ground, ensuring that research on governance and security is informed by lived experience and practical human rights advocacy.
Elias Opongo
Professor Elias Omondi Opongo, is a Jesuit priest and Director of the Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR), as well as Regional Coordinator of the Africa Forum for Catholic Social Teaching. He holds a Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Bradford and an M.A. in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame, with research focusing on transitional justice, post-conflict reconstruction, statebuilding, and community peacebuilding. He has authored and edited several influential works on peacebuilding and Catholic social teaching in Africa. Professor Elias brings deep knowledge and experience to the African Governance Innovation Lab, contributing significantly to its intellectual and practical engagements across the continent.
Prof. Catherine V. Nnamani
Professor Catherine V. Nnamani is a Professor of Plant Systematics and Conservation Biology at Ebonyi State University, Nigeria, where she has also served as Head of Department and Director of International Linkages. She holds a PhD in Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with expertise in indigenous plants, palynology, and molecular biology. Her work on biodiversity and sustainable resource management provides valuable insights into environmental governance and development. She brings critical scientific expertise to the African Governance Innovation Lab, strengthening its scholarly and policy engagement on sustainability and resource governance in Africa.
Richard Assante
Richard Asante is an Associate Professor at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, specializing in political science, democratization, and governance. His research focuses on African politics and contributes to a deeper understanding of institutional development and democratic processes on the continent. As a recognized scholar in African studies, he brings extensive knowledge and expertise to the African Governance Innovation Lab. His contributions strengthen AGIL’s intellectual engagement with governance and democratization in Africa.
S.N. Nyeck
S.N Nyeck is an Associate Professor of Africana and American Studies at the University of Colorado. Dr. Nyeck is a multidisciplinary Associate Professor in Africana and Gender Studies with training in the political economy of development, International Relations, and Comparative Politics. Her research spans governance, public procurement reform, social justice, and gender and identity politics, as well as pioneering work in queer studies in Africa. Through her extensive scholarship and publications, including her influential book on African queer ethics, she brings critical perspectives on inclusion, equity, and human rights. These experiences significantly strengthen the African Governance Innovation Lab by deepening its engagement with inclusive governance, identity, and socially responsive policy frameworks across the continent.
COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT & PARTNERS FROM THE REGION
My research journey has been enriched by collaborations with remarkable scholars, dedicated practitioners, and informed, engaged citizens across the continent. The exceptional support and experience I received from the collaborators below was invaluable.
BURKINA FASO:
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The Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities (CISC)
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The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
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US Embassy in Ouagadougou​
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MALI: Point Sud Research Center and Near East Foundation
SENEGAL: WARC based in Dakar, St. Louis, and Shieh Anta Diop University
NIGERIA